DELAWARE: The 146th Delaware General Assembly concluded its first regular session June 30, 2011.

IOWA: The Iowa General Assembly adjourned sine die.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The New Hampshire Legislature adjourned June 30, 2011.

OREGON: The 2011 regular session of the Legislature adjourned sine die on June 30, 2011. Governor John Kitzhaber has 30 days, excluding Saturdays and Sundays, to act upon any bill he receives within the last five days of the session, or the legislation becomes law without his signature.

RHODE ISLAND: The Legislature’s 2011 regular session recessed today. Any bills submitted to Governor Lincoln Chafee must be signed or vetoed by July 10. There is no pocket veto.

Providence, Rhode Island will not have its online portal set up for lobbyist registrations by July 1, the date the new city local lobbying ordinance takes effect. However, the City Clerk will accept e-mail registrations containing the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and lobbyist’s employer’s identification.

No registration fee will be due or accepted until the online portal becomes available. After the online portal becomes available, the City Clerk will contact individuals to complete the registration process.

The registration information can be e-mailed to astetson@providenceri.com.

Governor Lincoln Chafee has sent letters to the directors of Rhode Island’s 17 quasi-public agencies requesting, among other things, they terminate non-critical contracts with lobbyists. He is also requesting any procurement activities by these agencies be open and transparent, instructing the agencies to post all procurement rules and regulations applicable to each agency’s contract practices on a public website.

Governor Chafee indicates the purpose of the letters is to help find cost reductions that are available through increased efficiency and productivity, stating, “Under my appointment authority I take very seriously the responsibility of placing highly qualified individuals who strive to ensure value in the services provided by our quasi-public agencies.”

Some of the quasi-public agencies include the Rhode Island Industrial-Recreational Building Authority, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, and the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation.

RHODE ISLAND: The Providence Lobbying Disclosure Ordinance, which was to take effect May 16, will now take effect July 1. The City Council’s Committee on Finance amended the March 11 ordinance extending the time to begin the implementation of the regulations. The new ordinance requires lobbyist registration, reporting, ID badges, and penalties.

This report refers to the March 23 Lobby Comply post “Providence Creates Lobbying Registration Law” by George Ticoras.

Photo of the Providence, R.I. skyline by boliyou on Wikipedia.

News You Can Use Editor Jim Sedor pointed me in the direction of a news item from Providence, Rhode Island. A new ordinance there requires lobbyists to register with City Hall (including a fee), to get a photo ID, and to file quarterly reports. In response, the ACLU of Rhode Island offered a statement saying the ordinance could chill free speech. The issue may go to court.

The article offers the following quote:

“Despite the good and sincere intentions underlying this proposal, we believe it will deter and chill robust community advocacy,” said ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown. “We understand the City’s interest in promoting transparency in government, but this ordinance is not a proper way to achieve that goal.”

For the full article, read: “ACLU Says New City Law Has ‘Chilling Effect’ on Free Speech” by Stephen Beale, on GoLocalProv.com.

Here is the March 21 news release from the ACLU.

State and Federal Communications Research Associate George Ticoras reported on the new ordinance last week in “Providence Creates Lobbying Registration Law” on Lobby Comply.

Photo of Providence skyline by boliyou on Wikipedia.

Providence has passed a new lobbyist registration law. The Lobbyist Disclosure Ordinance requires registration before the first lobbying activity. Online registration will be an available option. Each lobbyist will receive an ID badge with his or her name, photograph, identifying information, and the name of each client being represented.

There is a $150 filing fee for lobbyists employed by entities with budgets over $250,000. Otherwise, the filing fee is $25. Lobbyists and employers will be required to file quarterly reports, and a final report in January detailing all expenses and compensation for the previous calendar year.

Penalties include fines up to $250 a day, up to a maximum of $25,000 per calendar year, and a prohibition of lobbying the city until the following year or until compliance is established. The ordinance takes effect May 16.

Photo of the Providence City Hall by Anatoli Lvov.

We have seen many examples of social media being used as a tool to promote a political campaign, now here it is being used as a tool to remove an official from office. Rhode Island’s Governor Lincoln Chafee is the target of a recall effort, and one group is using Facebook to gather support for the effort.

Take a look at the Facebook page with its 123 friends.

For the full story you can read the Providence Journal article “Governor unfazed by Facebook recall move” by Philip Marcelo and Katherine Gregg on March 14.

Here is a heads-up for those following lobbying news in Rhode Island. News Editor Stephen Beale wrote on GoLocalProv that Providence, Rhode Island could be the first city in the state to require lobbyists to register with city hall.

The new rules have sparked a debate between supporters of government transparency and accountability and those who do not wish to inhibit non-lobbying groups from interacting with government.

For the full article, go to “Providence Could Become First RI City to Regulate Lobbyists” on GoLocalProv.com.

Photo of the Providence City Hall by ctman987 on Wikipedia.

Representative Joseph M. McNamara introduced HB 5127 to amend the state’s “Code of Ethics” law. The bill would create a cooling off period for executive branch government officials who wish to lobby for specific entities once they leave office.

The law would require those employed by the department of administration in a decision-making position or capacity or those with influence over legislation with the executive branch to not lobby for or even work for a state agency, quasi-public agency, or any other state subsidized corporation or entity should they leave their employment until a new governor is elected.

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) has filed a federal lawsuit against the Rhode Island Board of Elections seeking to strike down Rhode Island’s campaign finance law. Citing extensively to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, the plaintiffs allege Rhode Island law’s definition of a political action committee, its expenditure ban, and its expenditure reporting requirements are all unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs are asking U.S. District Judge Mary Lisi for declaratory judgments clarifying the extent to which state law’s $1,000 contribution limits on contributions by political action committees apply to them. NOM also seeks a declaratory judgment stating they are not subject to the extensive reporting requirements imposed by state law upon entities which make independent expenditures. An in-chambers conference regarding the lawsuit has been scheduled for Thursday, September 30th, 2010.

Rhode Island General Treasurer Frank Caprio, who is running as a candidate for governor this fall, plans to argue the current system is equitable and has not placed the Moderate Party in a weaker financial position than the Republicans or Democrats.

U.S. District Judge William Smith will hear arguments in the suit this coming Thursday.

For further reading, here is an article by the Associated Press in the Boston Globe: “Caprio: RI campaign finance system is fair”

You will find many resources at the State of Rhode Island Board of Elections Campaign Finance Web site.